Ember Swift
Encyclopedia
Ember Swift is a Canadian singer-songwriter
and guitar
ist who has been writing songs since she was nine years old and performing since she was ten. In 1996, she released her first self-titled album.
After graduation from the University of Toronto
with a degree in East Asian Studies in 1998, Swift and regular band member Lyndell Montgomery (electric violin
) began touring North America, Australia and later, New Caledonia. These live shows featured the additional talents of Toronto-based percussionist and drummer Cheryl Reid as of 1998. Later, the duo began working with Michelle Josef (also of Toronto) and finally, Adam Bowman (of Elmira, Ontario) on drums and percussion. Cheryl Reid continued to work with Ember and Lyndell until 2008, but as a more part-time player. She has continued to work with Ember directly since 2008 until the present.
In 2008, Ember Swift and Lyndell Montreal (who were also life partners), went their separate ways and ceased their working relationship. Ember Swift had always dreamed of going to China. She had visited in 2007 and had fallen in love with the country and culture there. In 2008, she moved to Beijing and continues to live and work part-time in Beijing, China and Toronto, Canada. In Beijing, she assembled a new band consisting of Zac Courtney of Australia on drums, Paplus Ntahombaye of Burundi (Africa) on bass, and China's Wang Ya Qi 王雅琪 on the traditional Chinese instrument: the erhu. All of the members are long-time residents of Beijing. Tours now include many stops throughout in Asia.
Album Releases
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist who has been writing songs since she was nine years old and performing since she was ten. In 1996, she released her first self-titled album.
After graduation from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
with a degree in East Asian Studies in 1998, Swift and regular band member Lyndell Montgomery (electric violin
Electric violin
An electric violin is a violin equipped with an electronic output of its sound. The term most properly refers to an instrument purposely made to be electrified with built-in pickups, usually with a solid body...
) began touring North America, Australia and later, New Caledonia. These live shows featured the additional talents of Toronto-based percussionist and drummer Cheryl Reid as of 1998. Later, the duo began working with Michelle Josef (also of Toronto) and finally, Adam Bowman (of Elmira, Ontario) on drums and percussion. Cheryl Reid continued to work with Ember and Lyndell until 2008, but as a more part-time player. She has continued to work with Ember directly since 2008 until the present.
In 2008, Ember Swift and Lyndell Montreal (who were also life partners), went their separate ways and ceased their working relationship. Ember Swift had always dreamed of going to China. She had visited in 2007 and had fallen in love with the country and culture there. In 2008, she moved to Beijing and continues to live and work part-time in Beijing, China and Toronto, Canada. In Beijing, she assembled a new band consisting of Zac Courtney of Australia on drums, Paplus Ntahombaye of Burundi (Africa) on bass, and China's Wang Ya Qi 王雅琪 on the traditional Chinese instrument: the erhu. All of the members are long-time residents of Beijing. Tours now include many stops throughout in Asia.
Album Releases
- Self-Titled (1996)
- InsectInside (1997)
- Can't Corner Me (1998)
- Permanent Marker (1999)
- The Wage is the Stage (Live) (2000)
- Snapshots (Live EP) (2000)
- Stiltwalking (2002)
- Disarming (2004)
- The Dirty Pulse (2006)
- LENTIC (The new project by Ember Swift) (2009)
- 11:11 (2011)